I was in the Phoenix airport last week and I was really disgruntled because my one-hour layover was magically transformed into an eight-hour layover. But then I was standing in line at Starbucks and a golf cart came by. The passenger was "New York" from Flavor of Love and I Love New York. She was as glamorous as one could hope for with her multi-piece Louis Vuitton baggage, leather/lucite clogs, full amazing wig, and "made up like night time even though it is day time" face. She was actually putting on lip gloss.

My husband and I watched every episode of I Love New York, so I was prepared to fully appreciate the moment. I was so shocked to see her that I almost let the minute pass me by, but I quickly recovered my wits and called out "Tiffany" (as I explained, I am a fan). And she waved at me and smiled.

Best layover I've ever had. I hope I see Daisy on the way back home.

_________________Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet.--Philip K. Dick

You saw New York! That would have made my day. Celebreality sightings are the best.

I met Elvis Costello when I was doing my undergrad. The university game him an honourary degree. I saw two Twilight characters (honestly, I didn't at the time know their names and I've forgotten since!) shopping in Vancouver. I have run into several celebs in Vancouver, but the ones that make me the most excited are the hockey players. Twice I stalked Trevor Linden around a health food store.

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:58 pm

ol' garly cooch

Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 3:41 pmPosts: 2828Location: Kashyyyk

I ran into Arte Johnson from Laugh In in the Chicago Art Museum when I was 14. I ran up to him and said "Veddy Interestink!" Like he's never heard that before.

I passed Leslie Feinberg in the Path Train Tunnel on my way to NYC from Newark. I spotted her right away, I said, "Hey Leslie, I love Stone Butch Blues!" and High fived Les without breaking stride. It was awesome.

I had just purchased "Cool For You" by Eileen Myles, and was waiting for a bus. I saw her right there on a corner and had her autograph my book. Yay! Kate Millet was amazed when I spotted her at a gallery in NYC, because no one in my student group knew who she was.

I talked to Susan Faludi in a bookstore in Olympia and simply said, "Hey, my cat loves Backlash!" and walked away.

Brian Posehn, Doug Benson, Emo Phillips at a comedy place. All three are adorable.

I was able to meet Michele Tea and Ali Lebigott on the Sister Spit tour when they came to Btown. Ali signed my daughter's duck. I've attended workshops held by Michele and Sini Anderson when SS had just formed. They are really great teachers. I've also met Lori Weeks and told her how much I liked the Paula Barbieri Diaries and her piece Nacho from the Edge.

I have met and run errands with Lynnee Breedlove, and it was excitingly exhausting. What a sweetie!When I used to be a Michfest regular, I made some connections with various musicians who were just super rad down-to-earth folk: all members of Tribe 8. Slade let me stay with her in SF when I was looking at grad school, all members of the butchies, Nedra Johnson, Nomy Lamm, Gretchen Phillips, Jill Sobule, and many more!

Amy Ray gave me a bag of chocolates once backstage when the Indigo Girls played IU back in 1999. The girl I was dating was good friends with the Butchies and we were able to go. I didn't realize how awesome it was to have a bag of chocolates from a famous person because I wasn't and have never been a huge IG fan. I hid the chocolate for emergency use, ate it in a pre-menstrual fury, then dived into the trash can because I threw away a bag of chocolate wrappers that had been handled by Amy Ray.

I attempted to tell her this story at a show in Chicago. Rightly so, she thought I was a crazy person.

Best of all: Penny Arcade. She changed my views on feminism forever. I can call her name and she'll be there to the rescue.

_________________I'm not dead, just sick.

Last edited by jewbacca on Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:01 pm

And you never will.

Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:41 pmPosts: 4708Location: Memphis

Stephen Baldwin came into the Starbucks I used to work at wearing rhinestone studded sunglasses. I made his tall soy latte and pretended I didn't know who he was. When I asked for his name for the cup he got irritated.

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:04 pm

Keepin' It Seal

Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:32 pmPosts: 3887Location: PORTLAND!

I've met Isa and Terry. They're celebrity enough for me.

I also met Janeane Garafalo. I was at NYU volunteering for orientation week. I had to sit in the lobby and answer any questions new students had on their way to different orientation things. But there was some event happening in one of the buildings in addition to the orientation stuff so Janeane came in and asks what floor it was on and where the elevator was. So I told her. It was super fun and unexpected.

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:12 pm

Kitchens Planning Manchester

Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:43 pmPosts: 2534

Man, I have seen so many celebrities. I can't possibly name them all, so I'll list the ones that I did not see at conventions or the ones that had appearances at wherever I was.

In 2008, I went to Blossom in NYC and was seated right next to Fiona Apple.

In 1995, I met all the members of Marilyn Manson (this is when Daisy was still in the band and before Sweet Dreams was released). I asked each if I could take a pic, but Marilyn was the only one who said "You should be in the picture!" He then had someone take our pic and he put his arm around me. While I'm no longer a fan, I can say that he is/was one of the friendliest celebs. He told another fan who approached him that she had a beautiful name. Now this was before they became mainstream (they were only played on Headbangers Ball late at night), so it's possible that fame changed him.

I'm cheating a little bit, because this was at a convention, but I met James Marsters (Spike from Buffy!) and he put his arm around me too. Now I'm just bragging.

So not a celeb, but there's someone who has been dubbed the "Macbook Thief," which is a popular story in the media right now. I know him, and I'm quite certain that he did not steal the Macbook and that he feels terrible about possessing the stolen laptop (he was my favorite cab driver who I recommended to others. He never accepted my tips and he always took the shortest routes possible, so that I wouldn't have to pay anything extra--he owns the cab company, so that's less money in his pocket).

I met Davy Jones and got his autograph. I tried to brag to people at school, but I think that backfired, because why would jr high kids in the '90s care about a singer from back in the day?

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:16 pm

Totally sane, not interested in bats whatsoever.

Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:14 pmPosts: 1262Location: Tijuana

Matt Groening and Joe Hill.

_________________"I love you, but you need to get out of the kitchen before I spatula your face." -Pinko"You can always trade sex for cookies. It might make you feel dirty, but just keep your eyes closed and think of vanilla." -Tofulish

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:20 pm

Making Threats to Punks Again

Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:48 pmPosts: 1137Location: Arizona

poopiebitch wrote:

Stephen Baldwin came into the Starbucks I used to work at wearing rhinestone studded sunglasses. I made his tall soy latte and pretended I didn't know who he was. When I asked for his name for the cup he got irritated.

HAHAHA. This is one of the greatest stories of all time.

I lived in Germantown for years and I always hoped I'd see Chris Parnell. No luck.

_________________Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet.--Philip K. Dick

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:26 pm

ol' garly cooch

Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 3:41 pmPosts: 2828Location: Kashyyyk

I'm cheating a little bit, because this was at a convention, but I met James Marsters (Spike from Buffy!) and he put his arm around me too. Now I'm just bragging.

jealous!

Stephen Baldwin came into the Starbucks I used to work at wearing rhinestone studded sunglasses. I made his tall soy latte and pretended I didn't know who he was. When I asked for his name for the cup he got irritated.

Agreed. This is a really awesome story.

John Mellencamp lives in Btown. I have yet to run into him or his new squeeze, Meg Ryan.

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:27 pm

Should Spend More Time Helping the Animals

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:57 pmPosts: 6517Location: Boston, MA

Yea! Fun thread.

I met Ryan Reynolds at the National Gallery in London. It was after Two Guys and a Girl and before he was in anything else, so my friend and I couldn't even think of his name. I still approached him and asked for an autograph. He said, "You know, there are better things to look at in here than me." And I replied, "Oh! I know! I love Monet!" Like a nerd. My friend was too shy to approach him, but she was magically at my side to get her museum map autographed as well.

John Corbett (Aiden from Sex and the City, among other roles) is from my hometown, and I saw him at this local sports bar. It was right when he was on Sex and the City, too, but of course I told him that I LOVED him in Northern Exposure. His friend looks at me and says, "You know, he's come a long way since then!" So I replied that I had been watching Sex and the City...with my mom! Weirdo. It was before my Big Fat Greek Wedding, too, but I think not too long since it was released.

Finally, I met Weird Al in a Garfields (like a TGIFridays or Ruby Tuesdays) in St. Clairsville, OH. Poor guy had just been booed off the stage at Jamboree in the Hills (the superbowl of country music!). Of course he was making fun of rednecks to a bunch of rednecks, so it didn't go over well. We stop him as he's walking out, and I told him, "I loved you in UHF!!" and he replied, "Wow! That's really old!" He signed our table though! (They had one of those crayons and white paper table top bits so you could draw and whatnot.)

OH, I almost forgot! Fashion week on year I met Carine Roitfeld, Lauren Santo-Domingo, Kate Lanphear, and Kelly Kiloren-Bensimon. I didn't really talk to anyone besides Kate Lanphear, who is a sweetheart and my professional idol.

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

Prince (phone interview), Samuel Ramey (opera star) and Boy George. I got to hang out backstage with BG and drink Guinness. He was very nice and gave me the Chanel scarf he wore on stage.

Lots of politicians around DC. Multiple meetings with Clarence Thomas through two places I worked. He was always very nice and has the most amazing voice. I had to work hard to smile and play nice during the in person meetings (WF cheese and pasta counter) for obvious reasons.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:34 pm

Chip Strong

Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:37 pmPosts: 998Location: Oaktizzle

I saw the back of Madonna's head once. It was in London. I also saw Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys in Waitrose around the same time. I also once had lunch with some dame who's written some vegan cookbooks.

_________________Goddamn that Rick Santorum has a pretty mouth. -sameness

Post subject: Re: Celebrities/"celebrities" you have seen in real life

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:54 pm

Should Write a Goddam Book Already

Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2010 2:23 pmPosts: 1049Location: MKE

:dies of jealousy:

jjr, the amount of time and attention I spent watching/pseudo-intellectually dissecting every part of the Flavor of Love franchise is probably a trait of which I should be deeply ashamed, so I tip my Celebreality-loving hat to you for being able to bask appreciatively in Tiffany's fabulous glow!

A friend and I introduced a Kelly Clarkson video on TRL circa 2002, so we got the full Carson Daly gladhand treatment. At a bar following some year's Pitchfork Festival, we ran into Julia Stiles, who was just sitting around shooting pool with her friends until people started recognizing her and she -- most understandably -- bailed.

I'm annoying and outgoing to the Nth, so I've managed to meet almost all of my rock and roll idols (lone exception: Trent Reznor), along with another 100 or so people who are not considered to be celebrities by anyone who isn't well-versed in '90s indie rock minutiae. Still friends with a few of 'em. When I was younger and prone to misadventure, I may have spent a couple of years occasionally canoodling with this dude until he up and fell in love with his co-star. He's really nice!

the first "celebrity" i saw was this woman irene who was on the real world. she was known for being slapped by another cast member. it was a bit creepy, because me and a friend had just been talking about that show and that episode in particular. then we went to breakfast and there she was. we weren't even in the same city where her season was filmed or anything like that.